Webb Creek at Steep Ravine

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photo by Donald Kinney

I was in Safeway on Suday and overheard a fellow asking one of the clerks -- not where the tofu was, but where Webb Creek was...   I was almost out of ear-shot but I have big ears, so I listened in, but the clerk hadn't heard of Webb Falls (((not too many people have))).   Anyway, I was standing there in line two checker-stands away trying to get his attention -- he just wouldn't look in my direction -- I could have easily told him it's about two miles south of Stinson Beach right off of Highway One.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Well apparently -- according to this fellow two checkout stands over -- the Webb Creek and Steep Ravine area got a write-up in the newspaper over the weekend, but I don't know which newspaper -- I guess I should go check them online...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Each Spring a large mass of local loonies have a friendly foot-race starting in Mill Valley on the east side of Mt. Tamalpais -- they huff and puff their way over to Stinson Beach on the west side of Mt. Tam.   Along the way the the Dipsea Race passes through this beautiful area.


by the way, folks...
On Saturday I updated what I call my "big site, www.photoarrow.com, so if you have some time to kill please swing by and take a look.


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The Curvy Building

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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh, I suppose if I was a better reporter I'd be able to give you the name of this new curvy building at Folsom and Spear, but to me I will always know it as the Curvy Building.   I have other special names for other San Francisco buildings -- the new Air Purifier Building, the Juke Box Building, oh I suppose I could go on.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And it's probably good that I don't work in a building like this with so many windows -- all I would want to do would be to stare out of them and wish I was outside.   Before long I'm sure my employer would grant my wish and send me on my way.   Hasta la Vista, Don...


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cropping the heck out of it

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photo by Donald Kinney

Some day (((if I ever get rich))) I'm going to buy one of those super-long lenses so I can properly zero in on birds.   I have 200mm on my "L" zoom, but as you might know, the Canon5D has a full frame sensor (about the same size as a 35mm frame) so there is no built-in "crop factor", so my 200mm lens is not quite as long as it would be if I used it on a Canon Rebel or something like that.

So, without a really long lens I ended up severely cropping this photo...



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photo by Donald Kinney

This is the same photo, cropped less severely.   I first thought those were Sandpipers, but I think that's wrong because I think their beaks are too short.   Anybody know? UPDATE:   PhotowannabeSue says they're Kildeer and she's right.
Thanks Sue!


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drama at the bridge

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photo by Donald Kinney

Occasionally I have to remind myself that people from all over the world come to look at our dramatic Golden Gate Bridge.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And sometimes Mother Nature throws in a few puffy clouds to make the scene more interesting.


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afternoon, from Mt. Tamalpais

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, today I'm going to be true to the name of AphotoAday and just show you one photo -- after all, with this rain I seem to be running out of new photos.

Those are the Farallon Islands out there -- they're a protected wildlife sanctuary.

And also out there is where our government dumped thousands of barrels of low-grade nuclear waste in an irresponsible manner.

quoted from Wikipedia:
From 1946 to 1970, the sea around the Farallones was used as a nuclear dumping site for radioactive waste under the authority of the Atomic Energy Commission at a site known as the Farallon Island Nuclear Waste Dump.   Most of the dumping took place before 1960, and all dumping of radioactive wastes by the United States was terminated in 1970.   By then, 47,500 55 gallon steel drum containers were dumped in the vicinity, with a total estimated radioactive activity of 14,500 Ci.

44,000 containers were dumped at 37°37′N 123°17′W, and another 3,500 at 37°38′N 123°08′W.   The primary military agency contributing to the dumping was the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory, in San Francisco, which was charged with decontamination of the ships from the Operation Crossroads nuclear testing in 1946 and carried out additional radiological task throughout the period.   The USS Independence, which was irradiated while used as a target at Operation Crossroads, was loaded with radioactive waste from NRDL and other generators, towed to sea and apparently sunk near this site.   The exact location of the containers and the potential hazard the containers pose to the environment are unknown.   Attempts to remove the barrels would likely produce more of a risk than leaving them undisturbed.


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clouds up on Mt. Tamalpais

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photo by Donald Kinney

On Wednesday I was wondering where I was going to get any photos on such a gloomy day, then I spotted a slight clearing in the direction of Mount Tamalpais.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Dramatic and pretty, aren't they?


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water, like fingerprints

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photo by Donald Kinney

I was spooking around Alpine Lake on Mount Tamalpais the other day when I spotted this rippled water masquerading as a fingerprint.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And a bit closer...


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Columbus Avenue at night

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photo by Donald Kinney

I've never really thought of books as being birds -- but there they are -- right down on the corner of Broadway and Columbus.

This is called "Language of the Birds", by artists Dorka Keehn and Brian Goggin, and was unveiled about a year ago.   The LED lights come on and turn off in a rather interesting sequence.   I give this installation high-marks for creativity and far-outness.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I have a camera, and thusly a license to snoop.   Sorry, ladies...   I couldn't resist...



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photo by Donald Kinney

This film crew looked a bit too small to be shooting a major Hollywood blockbuster, so I'm assuming the filming was for television.   When I first walked through they were shooting something around and inside an ambulance.



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photo by Donald Kinney

...and when I passed them again an hour or so later they were filming inside a bar on the lower part of Columbus.   That's quite a camera, isn't it...


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AIDS Memorial Grove, Golden Gate Park

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photo by Donald Kinney

After reading the most wonderful post about Mike on I Live Here, S.F. I felt I had better get over to the National AIDS Memorial Grove and pay my respects.

Personally, I haven't lost any close friends to AIDS so I guess I am either lucky or a bit short of friends.   And in fact, I didn't know a whole lot about the epidemic until I read "And the Band Played On" in the late '80's.   Oh, I suppose I still don't know a whole lot about AIDS, but what I DO know is that I have an abundance of compassion (((for what it's worth))) for those who are now sick, and of course for those who have died.



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photo by Donald Kinney

According to the official website, this is a dedicated space where those touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember.

The names carved is an intimate mixture of those who have died and people who have paid a fee to sponsor someone.   If you look closely near the lower left corner on this photo you will see the name of Calvin Simmons (((Simmons died in a 1982 canoeing accident at the age of 32, so I'm guessing that if this is the same Calvin Simmons who was the orchestra conductor the donation was made posthumously))).   (((My sincere regards and apolgies if this is another Calvin Simmons who has died)))

And on the first photo you can find the name of Linda Gates name at lower center -- oh, I know it's a fairly common name but I'd like to think that Bill's better-half gave a donation. (((My sincere regards and apolgies if this is another Linda Gates who has died))) EDITORS NOTE:   Clarity has returned to my soggy brain and now I realize that Bill's wife's name is Melinda, not Linda -- but it was a good story, wasn't it?



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photo by Donald Kinney

This area is officially titled the National AIDS Memorial Grove -- located roughly behind the California Academy of Sciences, at Middle Drive E. and Bowling Green Drive.   The entrances are fairly low-key, with stairways that lead down to the sunken area studded with redwoods.   It's an absolutely beautiful area.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Before arriving at the Memorial itself, I made a big loop of the area.   Like I mentioned, it's an absolutely beautiful area.   I understand that the area used to be used as a homeless encampment -- and in fact it still is -- I passed by a little camping spot along the fence-line on the ridge above the area.


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finding the obvious

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photo by Donald Kinney

I was spooking around for photos on the Embarcadero on Saturday -- and not having much luck finding any -- then I spotted the obvious -- reflections in the water...



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photo by Donald Kinney

I was spooking around for photos in Polk Gulch on Sunday -- and not having much luck finding any -- then I spotted the obvious -- black and yellow stripes...


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then and now

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photo by Donald Kinney

Welcome to West Marin, my refuge from the hustle-and-bustle of urban life just over the hill.   I shot this recently, on December 1, 2009.



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photo by Donald Kinney

This was shot on August 26, 2008.   The sun moves around and the hills and trees change color, but change happens slowly in West Marin.


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miscellaneous beauty

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, most of us know what happened to Lot's wife when she wanted to be "worldly" and look back at Sodom.   Yes, God turned her into a pillar of salt.   Hey, but she had fair warning not to look back...

Soooooooooooo, here's the story:
By now you probably know I spend a fair bit of my free-time down at Rodeo Beach -- oh you know -- enjoying the surfers, beachcombers, and the setting sun.   Usually on my way back to civilization I stop near the top of the hill and look back at the aftermath of what I've just witnessed down at the beach.   Sunset colors fade and the mood of the sky changes towards darkness.   It's always worth a look back, if you're worldly like me...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Yesterday I found myself out at Lagunitas Creek -- another of my hangouts -- and although I completely struck-out trying to capture the beautiful water, I did manage to snag this shot.   Oh, I like it but don't know if anyone else will.

Not having my tripod with me for a steady shot in the low light, I decided to break all the rules and shoot at ISO-1600 despite the promise of noise.   1/60th second, wide open at f-4 with my 70-200 "L" zoom.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And after my little romp at the Lagunitas Creek I stopped by another of my favorite places -- Roy's Redwoods, near San Geronimo.   In a few months beautiful blue and white Douglas Iris will sprout from this mass of leaves.   I'm looking forward to it.


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into the clouds

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photo by Donald Kinney

The ridge on Mt. Tamalpais is a popular place for hang-gliding -- it's about a 1500 foot drop down to a soft landing at Stinson Beach.   The scenery couldn't be any more spectacular.

On Wednesday I was up on the ridge admiring the huge blanket of fog covering the Pacific when I noticed a hang-glider preparing to launch.   If you look at the photo closely you can make out that there were two people riding piggy-back.

Now, I'm still scratching my head about this, but these adventurous souls flew straight into that thick bank of fog and I have absolutely no idea how they navigated through it.   I doubt if they had radar on-board, and fiddling with a GPS unit on the way down sounds just a bit sketchy, so I hope they made it safely -- didn't see anything in the newspaper headlines so I guess they did.



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photo by Donald Kinney

This is the last I saw of them...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Beautiful, isn't it?   Not much fun to drive through, but the hang-gliders seemed to be having a good time.   Hope they managed to find the beach.


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Sunday morning walk-around

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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh, I know, I'm a little bit strange, but one of my favorite things to do very early on a Sunday morning is to peer through the windows of The Stinking Rose.   I like to observe the little still-lifes on the tables left over from the previous evening.





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photo by Donald Kinney

This is a bank on the corner of Columbus and Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard with the most interesting carvings on it's windows.   I'll have to go back and get some close-up shots.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I don't know about you, but when I see or hear the term golden zone I have this sudden urge to get up and relieve myself.   Kind of pricey at 99 cents.



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photo by Donald Kinney

It's not difficult to figure out why so many fruits and vegetables are sold in Chinatown each day -- Chinatown has a massive population and the nearest Safeway is a long way away.   No Safeways and especially no Safeway parking lots leaves more room for more people, and consequently, more fruit and vegetable shoppers.   Anyway, that's what I think.   Here, have a persimmon...


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